As 2010 comes to a close, our thoughts turn to the future. Experts and entrepreneurs agree that no matter what your business is, you’ll increasingly be impacted by globalization.

That’s why we asked Tom Adams, CEO of Rosetta Stone to be our December Entrepreneur of the Month. As the leader of an international language-learning software firm, he believes that American companies that don’t get on the global bandwagon will certainly be left behind. “While it’s obviously important to speak more than one language, it’s also critical to understand other cultures, employ people from foreign countries, and look five or 10 years ahead—or risk being left in the dust,” he says. Read more of our interview below.

Also in this issue:

• Management training expert Dr. Alice Waagen interviews futurist Andy Hines about the Future of the Workforce.
• Immigration attorney Steve Trow asks, Are you an accidental American citizen?
• In our new Networking column, Arlington VA Chamber of Commerce membership director Erica Pristas shows us how we can act globally by working locally.
• Fine artist Betsey Mulloy shares the beauty of Africa.
• HR expert Barbara Mitchell shares observations from the month she spent in Paris.
• And our featured Truly Amazing Woman, Episcopal Bishop Katharine Schori, inspires us with her global message of tolerance and peace.

Speaking of keeping the peace, Culinaria Cooking School chefs Stephen Sands and Pete Snaith help you keep it in your home by sharing their favorite health-conscious appetizers for the holiday season: Asparagus and Prosciutto Bundles, Eggplant and Tomato Stacks, and Vegetable Napoleon.

We’d also like to introduce you to Drs. John Jones and John Maguire, owners of the new medical office in Northern Virginia, Simplicity Urgent Care. In their first article in Be Inkandescent Magazine, Dr. Jones explains why urgent care centers are filling a critical need. “Dr. Maguire and I know that finding top-notch health care can be complicated, and the last thing patients want to do when they are sick is to navigate a complex structure,” he says. “That’s why we focus on making every visit efficient, and most importantly, simple.” Read more here.

From all of us at Be Inkandescent Magazine, here’s to your good health, prosperity, and success in 2011.

— Hope Katz Gibbs
Publisher: Be Inkandescent Magazine / Founder: Inkandescent PR
Illustration (above) by Michael Gibbs: www.michaelgibbs.com